Security

Franz Phillip Hosp V, formerly of La Cañada and deployed since January of this year in Baghdad, Iraq, was recently awarded the Army Bronze Star Medal for exceptional meritorious service while serving as a Battalion Support Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer during Operation Iraqi Freedom III. In April, 1st Lt. Hosp became executive officer for C Company, 1st Battalion 64th Armor Regiment stationed in Baghdad. On the morning of April 29, during a coalition forces combat patrol, 1st Lt. Hosp and his men came under attack from multiple vehicle born explosive devices.

It wasn't a strong adversary on the field that shut down the La Cañada Gladiators program for the remainder of the season, it was one off the field. Gang problems forced the Duarte Hawks and Pasadena Panthers last week to cancel the rest of their season in the San Gabriel Valley Junior All-American Football Conference. In support of those two teams, league officials decided to cancel the remainder of the season, which involved three playoff games, for the other 26 teams in the league, which included the Gladiators.

Recently I received a call from Terese Miller, the outdoor program director for the Mount Wilson Vista Girl Scout Council. “Dr. Joe,” she said, “Would you do security for the upcoming Girl Scout Jamboree at Glen Helen Park?” I’ve always been an experience junkie, so jumping off the abyss seemed natural to me. Rarely have I taken that leap simply to satiate the unquenchable pursuit of adrenaline. Instead, I am driven by novelty, which is much increased by the simple pursuit of its gratification.

LOS ANGELES — With the crowd roaring inside what resembled an airport hangar, Anthony Cost went to the free-throw line in search of putting the finishing touches on a Harbor League championship for the Renaissance Academy basketball team. Blocking out all the distractions, Cost delivered by calmly making both free throws. He also made some crisp passes prior to that. Cost finished with 11 points, a game-high 10 assists and three steals Friday night to propel visiting Renaissance to a 56-53 victory against Ribet Academy and give the Wildcats their first Harbor League ¿¿¿crown.

What is so sacred about Social Security? As an investment vehicle it is a titanic failure. If it were a business, it would have been dissolved years ago, and the people in charge locked up for life. It is the fraud of all frauds. A gigantic pyramid scheme where those who got in early will reap the benefits, those who got in later are pleading, hustling and threatening others to get in so that they can move up and those getting in at the bottom left with their hands out and pockets empty.

A variety of security changes, including the installation of fences and interior door locks, could be implemented at La Cañada Unified School District campuses. The school board presented the possible security additions on Tuesday night and made plans to study the cost of going forward with the measures. Orange County-based T. Davis & Associates conducted a security audit on January 30. Findings were released to the district in March, but officials did not release them to the public, citing security reasons.

In light of the attempted Christmas Day terrorist bombing, the United States government has imposed additional scrutiny on people traveling from 14 countries considered “security risks” — 13 of which are Muslim countries. Arsalan Iftikhar, legal fellow for the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding calls this a “clear use of ethnic, racial and religious profiling.” What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with Iftikhar? And if this is racial profiling, does it achieve greater security in the long term for our country?

TEMPLE CITY - With an opportunity to clinch a share of a first league title in three years, the La Cañada High girls' soccer team certainly wasted little time Tuesday afternoon. The visiting Spartans scored two goals within the first six minutes of their Rio Hondo League match and had little difficulty in a 4-0 victory at Temple City High. With the triumph, the CIF Southern Section Division V second-ranked Spartans continued their unbeaten run as the squad improved to 17-0-1 overall and 8-0-1 in league, which secured La Cañada half of its first league championship since the 2010-11 season.

Parents in La Cañada Flintridge want to be involved in the school district's decision to implement new security measures in the wake of an audit. On Tuesday night, Tracy Jeandron and Remo Rohs asked La Cañada Unified board members for permission to form a parent advisory group for the security audit that was conduc t ed earlier this year by the Orange County-based firm T. Davis & Associates. The school district did not release the findings of the audit, citing security reasons , but revealed some of the firm's recommendations in May. Those recommendations included installing additional fencing at all campuses - La Cañada High School, La Cañada Elementary, Palm Crest Elementary and Paradise Canyon Elementary - and protective screens to second-and-third floors on buildings at the high school.

A variety of security changes, including the installation of fences and interior door locks, could be implemented at La Cañada Unified School District campuses. The school board presented the possible security additions on Tuesday night and made plans to study the cost of going forward with the measures. Orange County-based T. Davis & Associates conducted a security audit on January 30. Findings were released to the district in March, but officials did not release them to the public, citing security reasons.

Courtney Chen and Maya Okamoto brought the same dynamics to their respective teams throughout the season. Both provided stability and leadership in helping their squads advance to the semifinals in their respective divisions. For their bodies of work, Chen and Okamoto picked up All-CIF Southern Section first-team honors. The CIF Southern Section office unveiled the first teams for all 12 divisions Monday. Chen, a junior point guard for La Cañada High, earned a spot on the Division III-A team, Okamoto, a junior guard at Flintridge Prep, was named to the Division V-AA team.

Although a public workshop was held Tuesday to study a safety audit conducted earlier this year on La Cañada Unified School District campuses, no details of the study were announced, with officials citing security reasons. The audit was conducted in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting in Newtown, Conn. The district invited residents to attend the workshop to discuss the results, but crime experts with the Orange County-based firm who performed the audit stopped short of releasing details.

The public is invited to hear the results of recent security audit of La Cañada's public schools during a school board workshop on March 19, according to LCUSD Supt. Wendy Sinnette. An audit of district campuses was performed on Jan. 29 and 30 by Tim Coffey, an Orange County-based crime prevention/security expert recommended by the district's insurance provider. La Cañada and many other school districts nationwide are reviewing their security procedures and systems following the Dec. 14 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that claimed the lives of 20 students and six adult staff members.

Following up on requests from parents concerned in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., school massacre, La Cañada public school officials ordered a security audit and will release its findings during a public workshop next month. “The audit findings are currently being compiled,” La Cañada Unified School District Supt. Wendy Sinnette said Tuesday during a report to members of the school board. According to Sinnette, an audit of district campuses was performed on Jan. 29 and 30 by Tim Coffey, an Orange County-based crime prevention/security expert recommended by the district's insurance provider.

LA CAÑADA - Faced with an eight-point deficit late in the third quarter, the San Marino High girls' basketball team turned to its two seniors, Leigh Kunitake and Felita Salim, Thursday at La Cañada High. When the Titans battled all the way back to take the lead early in the fourth, the Spartans not shockingly looked to junior Courtney Chen on senior night. The point guard finished with a team-high 16 points, eight rebounds, three steals and scored all six of La Cañada's final points and all but four of its 13 fourth-quarter points to secure a 48-41 victory.

The recent elementary school massacre in Newtown, Conn., has prompted the La Cañada Unified School District to thoroughly scrutinize its security infrastructure and procedures. “It makes us painfully aware of how vulnerable we are,” said board Vice President Ellen Multari. President Scott Tracy agreed, saying such tragedies could strike anywhere. “We need to look at our policies, at how we're keeping our students safe. There are too many things that say it could happen here in La Cañada.” After hearing pleas from several concerned parents during Tuesday night's school board meeting, Supt.

TEMPLE CITY — With the decision well in hand by halftime, La Cañada High boys' water polo Coach Devon Borisoff gave the Spartans another game within the game with Temple City to win. In the driver's seat with a nine-goal lead, the first-year Spartans coach said he didn't want the Rams scoring two goals the rest of the way. La Cañada couldn't meet Borisoff's goal, but still impressed with a 20-5 victory at Temple City Thursday. "I try to give them little goals like that otherwise we're up by 15 goals and they can lose focus pretty easily,' said Borisoff, whose team improved to 9-6, 2-0 in league.